


A Bar Can Start Adventures

by ladeedadaday



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, Awkward, Friends to Lovers, Gay, M/M, Non-Consensual Kissing, but it doesn't end badly, but not really, musical lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21763348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladeedadaday/pseuds/ladeedadaday
Summary: Chad cheats on Henry and they have to break up. Henry goes to a bar and meets Ted.
Relationships: Henry Hidgens/Chad, Henry Hidgens/Ted
Kudos: 18





	1. A Late Night at the Bar

**Author's Note:**

> We'll see how this goes.

“Go, Chad. Please leave.” Henry had tears in his eyes, unlike Chad, who already had tears streaming down his face. “I’m sorry, but I can’t stay with you if you are going to do that to me again.” 

Chad sniffed, standing at the door with his bags in his hands. “Henry? Hen? Babe? Please don’t do this. I’m sorry, Henry!”

“Chad, I can’t stay with you know what you did. I’m sorry, I just don’t have the time to risk getting hurt like that again.” The men glanced down at their toes. Henry sighed and Chad took that as his cue to get out. 

He turned back one last time, searching for any hope in Henry’s eyes. When he found there was none, he left and without looking at Henry, he said, “Goodbye.” 

And that’s what broke the usually calm and collected man. He burst into tears as soon as the door shut, and with fair reason, too.

Chad and Henry had been an inseparable pair for most of their lives. They went to high school together, went to college together, got engaged after, but never got married. The pair never felt the need to actually be married because they felt so inseparable that they felt they were already married. Besides, they were getting up in their ages, meaning Henry was already valid for most senior discounts, which he always declined. 

Henry went to his and Chad’s old room and began moving his own stuff to the guest room, leaving what’s left of Chad’s things in there. 

In his new room, Henry felt much better, not being reminded of Chad, even though he couldn’t stop thinking about him. That’s when he decided to go out, something he never would’ve done otherwise. 

Maybe the idea came to him because he wanted to take his mind off of things, or maybe it was some odd, small, hope that he’d see Chad out on the town. 

Either way, Henry went out for his enjoyment for the first time in years. He was always cooped up in his fortress-like house, experimenting or spending time with Chad.  _ No, Henry, we aren’t thinking like that tonight.  _ He reprimanded himself. 

A glistening shop caught his eye. He couldn’t tell exactly what it was by the title, so he went in. 

_ Oh _ . Loud music was blaring, neon lights were flashing, and people were dancing. He hadn’t walked into what he thought he had, and was going to turn back when a voice called out to him, “Hey, man!” 

He turned around. “Hello…” 

“Woah, dude! I was gonna ask if you’re over 21, but  _ woah, dude _ !” This quite young looking man was already offending Henry. He was old, sure, but still could outrun most young adults and certainly dance circles around them. “Anyway, uh, this is not a very typical place, man. You sure you wanna be here? There’s a lot of dancing and…” He sort of looked Henry up and down, again gesturing to the fact that he’s old. 

“Actually I do, and don’t judge me based on my age. I’m sure I could dance circles around many people here.” He replied, taking the offense as a challenge. 

The young blonde man crossed his arms. “I’d like to see that. Lucky for you, entry’s free right now.”

The professor raised his eyebrows. “Maybe you will,” And he walked in.    
What he saw was no surprise; drunk people dancing or watching others dance. He decided to step into the crowd. Instant regret came after he was pushed into the center and told to dance. 

He was a dancer, this should be no problem. He closed his eyes and did some choreography that he remembered from an old show. It was quite complicated choreography, and he was the only one in the production who could actually pull it off. 

The man realized that this was not what you’d normally see in a place like this, but he didn’t know how to do anything else. 

The people applauded him and he smiled, incredibly dizzy. He stumbled away from the rest of the dancing people to catch his breath. 

A man approached him, and he said, “Hey, I’m Ted.” 

Henry blushed. “I’m, um, I’m Henry.” Ted laughed at Henry’s blushing. Ted inched closer making Henry feel more and more awkward. 

A moment passes and Ted says, “Hey, you’re a really good dancer, by the way.” 

“Oh! Um, thank you.” He blushes. Ted leans in closer and closer and Henry doesn’t stop him. Now they’re kissing, and Henry really likes it. 

“Hey, um, I should probably get going,” Henry whispers after they break apart, but he’s pulled in again. He waits and they pull apart again. “Ted, I  _ have _ to go home.”

Ted started trailing kisses down his neck, and in between, he says “No, I need your number first.” Henry was breathing heavily now. “Please?” Henry nodded, and gave it to him. 

“Can I have yours?” Ted nodded, and typed his number into Henry’s phone. “Thanks. Maybe call me sometime.” He waved, and left, looking back at Ted. 


	2. It’s Not a Date

The next morning, Hidgens woke up with a pounding headache. His phone rang.  _ That’s odd. Nobody ever calls me.  _

“Hello?” He asks in a groggy voice, rubbing his eyes. 

“Hey, Henry. It’s just me.” 

Henry sighed. “Oh, hello Ted. How are you?”

“A little tired, but other than that, I’m doing fine.” Ted was clearly awake. “How are you?”

Henry rubbed his head. “I have a little headache, but that’s just because I haven’t taken my medicine this morning.” 

“Hey, um, I’m really sorry about last night.” 

“No, it’s fine, you were drunk.” Henry tried to sound as sincere as he could, it just probably didn’t translate very well over the phone. 

Ted laughed on his end. “Yeah…Henry? Do you want to go get coffee with me?” 

“Yes!” Henry responded too eagerly. “I mean, uh, yeah, sure. When?” 

“10, at Beanies?” Henry hummed in response. “See you there.” 

Henry dragged himself off of the couch he had fallen asleep on. 

He stepped through the glass doors into a bright beige colored, half-full, quiet coffee shop. “Hello, Ted.” He approached the man standing at the counter who was holding two coffees. 

“Hi, Henry. I didn’t know what you wanted so I got you black tea.” Henry smiled, and put some money on the counter for his tea. Ted slapped it out of his hand. “Hey, no, I’m paying.” Ted smiled.

“Hi, professor.” Emma wiggled her eyebrows at the pair, and looking back at Henry. “I see you got yourself a date.” She leaned over the counter, inspecting Ted. “I think he passes. Have fun.”

“Oh! We’re not… nevermind. Thank you, Ted. I love black tea.” Ted offered his arm to Henry and they took a seat across from each other. Henry smiled as the hot tea soothed his sore throat. “ So, um…” Henry stumbled, attempting to start a conversation. 

Ted smiles at Henry, thinking his stuttering was one of the cutest things he’d ever seen Henry do. Henry looked up from his mug to see Ted smiling at him. “Hmm?” He mumbles through his tea, coughing as he almost choked on it.

Ted was half concerned, half entertained. “Are you alright?” He chuckled. He hesitated. “So, Henry... I, ah, may not have been drunk last night.” Hidgens started coughing. 

“Oh, okay.” Henry was a little too flattered to respond. “So, um, what do you do for work?”

“Oh, well I work in IT at CRRP Technical. We mostly do reports on new office supplies. It’s sorta boring, but I get to mess around with them and see if I can make them better. How ‘bout you?” 

“Oh, I’m a biology professor. Nothing too interesting, really.” 

“You must be very smart.” Ted replied dreamily.

“I, well, um, thank you,” Henry blushed, flustered. “But, not really… I just needed to have the persistence to pass the courses. Your job seems like you’d have to be smart to do it, too.”

“You’re so sweet!” Ted laughed. “Nope! There is zero quality control.” 

Henry sighed with a smile on his face, resting his head on his hand. “That’s nice.” Ted snapped his fingers in front of Henry’s face.

“Henry, are you alive in there?” He shook himself back to consciousness. 

“Ted, I really like you.” Henry blurted abruptly. Ted silently thought to himself, _ Just marry me now.  _ He swooned even at the thought of their wedding, even though he realized he’d never marry Henry Hidgens. “C’mon, Ted, say something.” 

“I like you, too.” Emma squealed from behind the counter. Ted reached for Henry’s hands which he gave to Ted. “So, tell me what else you like.” 

“Musicals!” The eccentric man hooted. “Every. Single. Musical. Except  _ Cats.  _ I’m not a huge fan of that one.” Ted nodded.

“Actually, I love musicals! I have a soft spot for  _ Mean Girls.”  _ Ted admits. Henry giggled. “What? Taylor Louderman is a goddess and the soundtrack helped me through college.” Henry nodded in agreement. 

“Do you wanna come see a show with me one night?” Ted nodded, all too eagerly. “We could go tonight, if you’d like.  _ Mamma Mia!  _ Is at the Starlight this week.” 

Ted nodded again. “I’ll pick you up at 8.” He winked. Henry laughed. 

“Or… we could just go home together right now.” He offered, shimmying his shoulders. 

Ted grabbed his hand yet again, and the pair stood up and drove home together, leaving Henry’s scooter in the back room of Beanies. 

“So, Henry. What were you doing at the club last night?” Henry shrugged.

“Alright, here’s the thing. My longtime boyfriend, Chad?” Ted chuckled at the name and earned a glare from Hidgens. “Anyway, he, um, kinda cheated on me with my best friend _ s _ , and I kicked him out. So yeah, I was trying to forget about him. I went out on the town, and the building was shiny. So I went in.” Ted chortled.

“Well, now that I know how to kidnap you…” The men shared a laugh. “Wait a minute, you’re gay?” 

Henry laughed. “I mean, yeah. You kissed me and I didn’t stop you.” Henry pointed out. 

Ted laughs and Henry pouts. “Aw, you’re so cute.” 

”No, I’m not!” Henry turned away to look at the window. “That’s my house.” 

Ted laughed again. “You mean the one with the gates, electric fences, and barbed wire?” 

Henry nodded. “And that’s why I have never been robbed.” 


	3. Okay, It’s A Date

Ted unbuckled himself and found that Henry hadn’t buckled in the first place. They left the car and Ted waited for Henry to punch in the passcodes. 

The gates swung open and Henry took Ted’s hand. He unlocked the door and the men went inside. 

“Do you want to watch a movie with me?” Ted grinned and nodded. “The couch is that way.” 

It was a cheesy Hallmark movie, but by the end they were no longer paying attention to it . 

Through it, they were getting more comfortable with each other. It started by cuddling closer and closer, but by the end, they were only paying attention to each other. 

“Henry, I want to kiss you.” Henry nodded and Ted leaned in, brushing his lips on Henry’s. They leaned in to kiss again, and again, and again.

Henry pulled back. “Just let me hold you.” Henry wrapped his arms around the man who was now clinging to him. “Ted?”

“Henry?” Ted chuckled, but didn’t find Henry laughing with him. 

“Does it matter to you that I’m sixty three?” Ted shook his head, snuggling into Henry’s chest. “But aren’t you worried that people will think I’m… you know…” Ted only laughed.

“Henry, it doesn’t matter.” He grabbed Henry’s hands to emphasize his point. “Let them think whatever they want to. I’m old enough to tell you if I’m comfortable or not, alright?” 

“Okay,” He whispered, kissing the top of Ted’s head. “Ted, I’ve known you for less than a day but… will you be my boyfriend?” Henry had never seen Ted giggle before, but now he did and that’s what he wanted to see for the rest of his life. Major swoon moment. Ted nodded, giggling, his laughter filling up the room. 

“I think I love you.” Ted smiled, waiting for Henry’s response. A wider grin replaced Henry’s already large smile. 

He sighed in joy. “Ted, I love you, too… But I’m scared to fall in love again.” Ted nodded, leaning into the older man’s chest again. He abruptly sat up. 

“I have an idea. Lay down.” Ted patted his thigh in a gesture for Henry to lay across his lap. Henry showed some hesitation, but ended up across Ted’s lap, looking up at him. He started to stroke the bridge of Henry’s nose with his index finger. Henry’s eyes shut and he was drifting to sleep. “Aw…” He brushed away the hair falling close to Henry’s eyes. “Darling, wake up.” 

He groaned. “I don’t want to…” Henry was whining and batting Ted’s hands away. 

“C’mon, sleepy, you have to.” He grabbed Henry’s hands and played with his fingers. “Please?”

“No.” Henry said, not quite defiant but still with finality. “I’m tired, Teddy.”   
“Okay, baby. Sit up and we can cuddle for a while.” Henry sat up, still in Ted’s lap. Ted pulled Henry as close as he could get him and ran his fingers through his hair.

Henry fell asleep again, however, Ted had fallen asleep first. Henry moved off of Ted’s lap and fell into a deep sleep on the opposite side of the couch, holding Ted’s hand in his.

Ted woke up before Henry did. He almost teared up when he saw that Henry had grabbed his hand. “Henry, darling, wake up please. We have to go to the show.” Henry jolted awake. 

“Yes! The show!” Henry jumped up, dashing to his room, supposedly. Ted saw no gesture for him to follow, so he stayed on the couch. 

Henry came back in a much crisper black turtleneck, but he’d traded in his khakis for some khaki suit pants. 

“You like it?” Ted nodded. Henry reached out to Ted, handing him new clothes. 

“Where can I…?”

“Oh! Change?” At Ted’s nod, he said, “There’s a bathroom down the hall.” Henry sat back down, smoothing out his pants.

Ted came back in a white button down and suit pants. “Ooh, handsome.” He twirled around before landing in Henry’s lap.

“Why, thank you. Ready for the show?” Henry nodded, excitedly. “What’s it about? Do we have the tickets? When do we have to leave?” 

Henry’s laugh rang through the building again. “It’s basically about romance and confusion. I bought the tickets in the car. We need to leave in thirty minutes.” 

Ted nodded and they sat in the comforting silence. Thirty minutes finally passed, and they set off to the theater. 

“Are you excited?” Judging by the grin on Ted’s face, he probably was. Henry offered Ted his arm, which he gratefully accepted. “I can’t wait.” 

They had the best seats in the whole house and they had a wonderful time at the show. Henry watched the performance in awe and Ted watched his face light up. 

The two of them both enjoyed the performance. They applauded at the proper time, they laughed at all the jokes, but Ted was watching Henry’s expressions through the whole show. 

“Darling, you can stop staring now.” Henry laughed as they stood up to applaud the cast. 

“I’m sorry, you’re just too beautiful.” He blushed and tore his gaze from Ted to watch the final seconds of the show. 

Henry grabbed Ted’s hand after the curtains closed. “Thank you, Ted. This was an amazing night.” 

“Henry… I don’t want to leave you.” Ted sighed at Henry, probably to deter him from the real intentions of his statement. 

“Then don’t.” He smiled cheekily. “Come home with me, Ted.” Ted grinned, letting Henry drag him to his car.  Henry played with Ted's hand on the way home. ”Can we stop at Beanies?” Ted nodded and drove there, almost breaking a speed limit. Henry picked up his bike, but was interrupted by Emma. 

“How was your date with Ted?” She pestered. 


End file.
